What’s the first thing you do after waking up each morning, before you’ve even gotten out of bed? For many people, it’s checking the weather.
For most, this is a thoughtless chore, an unexciting daily ritual. But if you find yourself fascinated by weather and climate, wondering how it all works, then you should consider pursuing a degree in atmospheric science.
Atmospheric science definitions
What is atmospheric science?
Atmospheric science is a field of study that investigates the weather, atmosphere and climate. Atmospheric scientists predict the weather, suggest solutions for climate change and study how Earth’s atmosphere changes and evolves.
What’s the difference between weather and climate?
According to NOAA, weather describes the short-term, daily conditions of the atmosphere, while climate describes average trends in the weather over time. So, when discussing the weather, you'd say, “It’s raining outside,” and when talking about the climate, you'd say, “This area receives 25 inches of rainfall annually.”
The difference between weather and climate often causes some confusion when talking about climate change. Climate change doesn’t mean the weather today is going to be sunny rather than rainy — it means the average weather over a long period of time is going to get warmer.
The study of weather, climate and meteorology
UC Davis is one of only six universities in California with a National Weather Service-accredited atmospheric or climate science program. That’s why many students who want to study the climate choose UC Davis’ atmospheric science program.
One such student is Ellie Park, a fourth-year atmospheric science major. She’s spent four years taking classes, participating in research projects and working internships in the atmospheric science program.
“If you have a special interest in the environment or climate change, it’s a great major,” Park said.
“Atmospheric science at UC Davis is special because it’s such a small program, which means you get to know all your professors and peers. It’s a research university, so there are also so many opportunities to work in labs or get field internships.” — Ellie Park, fourth-year atmospheric science major
Dr. Shu-Hua Chen is part of that tight-knit program. As a professor of atmospheric science at UC Davis, she teaches classes on extreme weather, atmospheric dynamics and weather observation.
“My area of specialty is numerical modeling," Chen said. "Doing the weather forecast — that’s what I’m good at. We are always looking at how we can improve the weather forecast, use new data and understand how to apply new processes.”
As a student at UC Davis, you can take classes like Dr. Chen’s, and learn from a pool of world-class talent.
Studying atmospheric science at UC Davis
The atmospheric science major at UC Davis covers meteorology, climate studies and more. In this program, you’ll develop a fine-tuned understanding of both weather and the climate.
Your studies will begin with preparatory subject matter including programming, chemistry, math, physics and botany. Once you’ve built a strong foundation, you’ll move on to a series of atmospheric science courses covering topics like weather analysis and atmospheric thermodynamics. Imagine how fascinating it would be to take a course on satellites or the physics of clouds!
Dr. Chen teaches the atmospheric dynamics class. She uses her specialty in numerical modeling to demonstrate how meteorologists use math to predict the weather.
“Students learn how we can use these equations, which include the physical processes, to explain the weather: Why is a cyclone growing or decaying? How do the different processes work together to enhance or decay the weather system?” — Dr. Shu-Hua Chen, professor of atmospheric science
Students' favorite classes
Park has taken a lot of courses in the program, but her favorite was the atmospheric dynamics series. In the first course, she learned all of the equations and theories necessary to explain how gases and fluids in the atmosphere move. In the second course, she got to apply it, learning how to model and predict weather and atmospheric events.
“You learn all about cyclones and other weather events like that — why they happen and how they work,” she said.
Sebastian Westerink graduated from UC Davis' atmospheric science program in 2023. When asked about his favorite class, he pointed to ATM 124 “Meteorological Instruments and Observations.”
In this class, you’ll get to go into the field once a week and monitor weather instruments, learning how to take data readings and maintain the instruments.
“The best advice I can give new atmospheric science students is that if you find weather exciting, don’t be demoralized when you see you have to take all this math and physics. Once you lock in and get through the basics, you get to the really fun stuff.” — Sebastian Westerink ’23
That fun stuff includes specialized atmospheric science classes, as well as internships and field work.
Internships and research in atmospheric science
In addition to your classes, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in internships and work as a research assistant. Working an internship is a great way to enrich your learning while also getting experience on the job and making professional connections.
Atmospheric science students at UC Davis participate in an internship as part of their major, and there are lots of options to choose from. The Department of Atmospheric Science keeps a list of internship opportunities with professors here at UC Davis, including working at Dr. Chen’s lab.
Working at the National Weather Service
Park has participated in three internships with the National Weather Service during her time at UC Davis.
One was a volunteer scouting internship, where she shadowed meteorologists and learned how to write area forecast discussions to be sent to TV and media outlets. At an internship in Monterey, she learned about the marine layer and how it impacts the local climate. And in a role in Sacramento, she learned how to write forecasts for airports — and even got to use some of her work for our local international airport!
“If you do some digging, there are still heat advisories up on the National Weather Service website that I got to write,” she said.
Working as a research assistant in a lab
Park has also served as a research assistant in a biomicrometeorology lab (Isn’t that a mouthful?) here at UC Davis.
“Two summers ago, we set up twelve stations along the Delta to monitor the microclimate,” she explained.
Park got to work in the field to help set up the stations and even wrote a program for one of them that was used in the final setup. Working on that project made her realize her passion for environmental protection, which is what she’ll be pursuing after graduation.
Working at a weather station
Westerink also got plenty of work experience while at UC Davis, working at the off-campus weather station for a year. There, he learned to maintain the station’s instruments, take observations and share the data with NOAA.
He also worked two internships on cloud droplet distribution and analyzed weather map data for applicability in other regions — which helped lead him to his current job at the National Weather Service.
Atmospheric science and meteorology jobs
A degree in atmospheric science is a gateway to a whole variety of careers that are both exciting and stable.
Westerink earned a bachelor’s degree from UC Davis, then went on to earn his master’s degree. Now, he works as a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.
A day in his life involves analyzing weather data and models, sharing forecasts with public agencies and private companies and answering questions about the forecasts. In another few years, he says, he’ll be the one making the forecasts. His job certainly keeps him on his toes.
“The coolest thing I’ve gotten to do was give weather briefings to the air marshals for the Huntington Beach Pacific Air Show,” he said. “They needed very detailed information on what flight conditions would be like for the Blue Angels.”
Dr. Chen explained that there are lots of different pathways for students, no matter the level of degree they’re looking to obtain.
Atmospheric science career paths by degree level
Bachelor's degree
The National Weather Service is a popular career path for atmospheric science students with a bachelor's degree. The NWS requires graduates to take a very specific list of classes, which UC Davis provides to prepare students for those careers. UC Davis graduates have also gotten positions on television as weather forecasters and have earned positions at renewable energy companies.
Master's degree
Because graduates with master's degrees have learned how to run advanced numerical models, they often go on to more advanced positions after graduation. The National Weather Service and California Air Resource Board has hired many UC Davis graduates with master's degrees.
Ph.D.
UC Davis students who earn a Ph.D. become full-time researchers. They often find positions at national labs — NOAA, NASA, the Naval Research Laboratory — or with private companies in research and development.
Working as an atmospheric scientist or meteorologist
Once you graduate, you may want to pursue a career as an atmospheric scientist. Meteorologists like Westerink are a type of atmospheric scientist, but you could also find work in a lab studying climate change or air pollution. Whichever area of atmospheric science you go into, you will conduct research and analyze trends in data to advance understanding of our planet’s atmosphere and climate.
Atmospheric scientists may work for private or public employers. You could work as a researcher or policy advisor at a government agency like the Environmental Protection Agency or NASA. You might also work at a university or other non-government research organization. Atmospheric scientists are also employed by private industries such as aircraft manufacturers or alternative energy companies.
Depending on where you want to work and what type of research you want to do, you may need a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree or even a Ph.D.
Salary for an atmospheric scientist
According to Career One Stop, which uses data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salaries for atmospheric scientists, including meteorologists, in 2023 are:
- United States: $92,860
- California: $114,900
That’s a great salary for a career you’re passionate about!
This field also has a great job outlook. The BLS projects that employment for environmental scientists is expected to grow 6% before 2033.
Why major in atmospheric science?
Atmospheric science is a major that’s perfect for students interested in climate change or environmental protection.
It’s also a high-value degree with lots of career paths in the public and private sector, and the field is expected to grow in the next 10 years.
Studying atmospheric science will also help you serve your community — and the whole planet.
“Weather is all around us,” said Park. “Atmospheric scientists help us make decisions of all sizes — from what to wear tomorrow to when to evacuate our home in a disaster. It’s a science to study if you have a heart for helping people.”
Learn about the atmospheric science major
View atmospheric science internship opportunities
Ryleigh Praker (she/her) is a new UC Davis graduate who received a bachelor’s degree in political science with minors in professional writing and history. She worked as a writing intern for UC Davis' Office of Strategic Communications and an academic peer advisor for the Department of Political Science. She also served as editor-in-chief at the Davis Political Review. Ryleigh is from Placerville and loves to hike in the Sierra Nevada with her family’s dogs. She will be attending UC Berkeley School of Law starting in the fall.